Chapter 20
“Can you not control this small, insignificant slave?” The Priest bellowed as Bray stalked angrily into the altar room. “And he is our Prince?” The Priest snorted as he eyed the Cats lining the walls. “I think it is time for a new appointment.”
Brays eyes locked on Neomee’s as she stood still firmly locked in Ottah’s grasp at the Priest’s side. She couldn’t help the relief that swamped her at the mere sight of him.
“What has she done?”
“What would appear to be her curse dear Prince. You’re mate has again attempted escape.”
“Impossible!” Bray bit out.
“Ottah.” The Priest challenged.
“It is true,” Ottah spoke up as Bray’s eyes flashed to his fellow Cat. “Niu and I caught her. Ask her yourself Bray and you’ll scent the truth.”
Bray growled as his eyes narrowed on Neomee. She knew he was silently willing her to deny the accusation. Instead, her shoulders slumped and her eyes slid from his to stare at her sandaled feet in shame.
“I accept the punishment.”
Neomee’s head snapped up and her eyes locked on Bray. “No,” the word escaped on a strangled sigh.
“As I suspected,” the Priest sounded bored as he commenced a diatribe of virtuousness and the need for submission and service to the temple. All the while, Bray stood frowning at Neomee.
He must hate me now. Why did the thought leave a cold empty feeling in the pit of her stomach? She listened to the Priest disparage her and use her lineage as an excuse for what he labeled a weakness of character.
Apparently, Bray had heard enough. “Get it over with Priest, I have better things to do then waste my time listening to your musings.”
Anger flashed in the Priest’s eyes before it was quickly replaced by mockery. “By all means my Prince, let us proceed.”
“What?” Neomee’s voice came out breathless as she addressed Bray. “Y-you can’t. Not for me. I’m just a slave!”
“It matters not,” the Priest smiled triumphantly, knowing that with the one act he would hurt them both. “The Prince Cat owns you; therefore, it is his right to accept the punishment in your place.”
Neomee winced even as she pulled from Ottah’s grasp and raced to Bray, her fingers digging into his shoulders. “Don’t do this! Please Bray! Give me away or…or,” her eyes darted from side to side as she sought a solution. “Renounce your claim.” Her imploring eyes found his, “Renounce me so that I may endure my own punishment.”
“Never!” The one word was expelled on a harsh growl. His angry eyes held hers even as he spoke to the Priest, “Have my property taken to my quarters and kept there until my return.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” the Priest clucked his tongue, “Such trust for one who has already proven herself unworthy.” He stepped closer to Bray but kept his eyes pinned on Neomee. “Are you still, great Prince of Cats, willing to suffer her punishment even if it means you’d chance her escape? How giving will you be when you return to your quarters to find her gone?”
Amon! Neomee knew what the Priest was implying and couldn’t argue the insinuation. She’d already attempted escape twice, but surely Bray wouldn’t think her coward enough to attempt it again, not while he was here suffering her punishment. When her eyes found his she realized that is exactly what he thought.
“Chain her there,” Bray’s eyes flashed angrily and for just a moment Neomee thought she saw regret flash across his strong features before it was just as quickly wiped away.
“Bray, I would never…” her whispered words were quickly cut off as strong hands gripped her arms from behind. She screamed and fought to stay with Bray even as she was hauled backward. “No! NOOOOO! I won’t let you do this for me!” Tears of frustration streamed down her cheeks. Her flailing arms and legs were no match for the strong hands that drug her from the temple. “Stop! STOP! WAIT! He hasn’t claimed me!” The words rushed out before Neomee could re-think them.
She remembered that the first time she’d been whipped Bray had been forced to watch because he hadn’t claimed her at that point. Regardless of the fact that the Priest saw them naked together in his bed about to consummate their mating, the act hadn’t actually been performed. She may have been bound with the collar but she still hadn’t been claimed…not fully.
“She lies!” Bray’s snarled response had Neomee eyeing him. Sharp pinpoints of fury exploded in the depths of his eyes warning her to be silent before his furious gaze flashed over her shoulder to Ottah. Bray stared at his fellow Cat for long moments.
“You forget little dove that I have seen with my own eyes your Prince Cat enjoying your sweet, slick treasure.” He eyed her crotch.
Neomee inwardly cringed as the Priest continued to leer at her body.
“Get her out of here!” Bray growled.
Ottah pulled Neomee toward the door, his hold much more gentle than it had been earlier.
“WAIT!” The command of the Priest was bellowed through the temple. “Perhaps,” he turned his attention from Neomee to Bray, “she’ll become more submissive when she witnesses what her disobedience costs another. She clearly has no concern for her own well-being, but could she possibly care for him?” His thin lips curled into a derisive smile and when his cold eyes found Neomee’s she shivered involuntarily. “Make her watch.”
“NO!” Bray boomed. “She belongs to me and I want her returned to my quarters.”
Neomee could only watch as the Priest’s evil smile widened. She knew what he’d decided before he even formed the words.
“She’s disobedient Prince, but it has been my experience that the best way to break a willful slave is to punish another for their transgressions. I think she’ll endure the spectacle of your pain to ensure she never attempts to leave our House of Cats again.”
Now forced to stay, Neomee was certain she’d have preferred to leave. Ottah shoved her down and she crashed painfully to her knees as Ottah clamped his hands firmly to her shoulders.
Bray roared at the Cat before his arms were stretched wide by the ropes tethered around each wrist.
Remembering the torturous pain in agonizing detail, Neomee began to tremble as she watched the Cats prepare Bray. I can’t watch this! I have to do something! She tried to get to her feet, but the Cat behind her shoved her back to her knees. She cast a quick sneer over her shoulder before she turned back to the Priest, “Please! If you…”
“SILENCE HER!”
When Neomee opened her mouth to argue Ottah slipped a length of cloth between her teeth and secured it behind her head. Quickly reaching up to yank it down, her hands were next forced behind her back where they too were bound. Panic began to overwhelm her but when she looked up Bray was staring at her. She could feel the intensity in his gaze and she knew he was willing her to be silent, to be submissive. And I should…shouldn’t I? He’s about to be beaten because of me. The least I can do is respect him enough to endure the sight of his suffering.
The Priest was rattling off a list of commands to the other Cats, but his words were just an annoying buzzing in Neomee’s ears. Bray’s dark eyes continued to hold hers and as he tried to silently convey to her to be strong. She tried to silently atone for her foolishness with a look of pleading despair.
She tried to blink back the tears of guilt and regret that flooded her eyes, but they would not be stemmed. When one large drop fell from her lashes to her cheek Bray slowly shook his head. Neomee knew that he didn’t want her to cry for him and with a steely resolve conjured up by the Gods, she sucked in a deep breath and squared her shoulders. If he can endure then so shall I.
***
With all that had transpired between himself and Neomee, Bray had been too preoccupied with her well-being to care whether the Priest had returned from his sabbatical. It was a foolish oversight.
The sight of Neomee trussed and on her knees had Bray fighting mad but aside from that he held no other emotion. There was no fear in him for what he knew he was about to endure, in fa
ct he felt relieved. It was relief that he wouldn’t again have to witness Neomee’s suffering. He’d gladly endure a thousand lashes to save her from one.
He blinked slowly, keeping his eyes pinned on her. For some reason her reaction to the whipping he was moments from receiving piqued his curiosity. She shouldn’t be this upset over my suffering…should she? Not when she’s clearly so determined to be free of me. For inexplicable reasons the sight of her tears bolstered his spirit and made him want to show her that he would take the beating like a true guardian Cat…like the Prince of Cats!
Watching a tear slip free from her panicky eyes, he had to force back a growl. He didn’t want her to weep, not for him. Slowly, he shook his head hoping she understood his message. When she drew in a deep breath and squared her shoulders he couldn’t help the hint of approval that lifted one corner of his mouth. Good girl!
He listened as the Priest droned on about service and righteousness, how it was everyone’s duty to sacrifice for the will of the Gods. Amon, let’s get it over with! He wanted to get Neomee back to his quarters to make sure that she was okay and to console her.
***
Everything after that happened so quickly that it felt like a dream. One minute the Priest was making preparations, then all-too-soon the whip was cracking and then lashing at Bray’s exposed back. They had come full circle. Except now instead of Bray watching her suffer it was the other way around but all for the same reason…her futile attempt to gain her freedom.
Bray didn’t take his eyes from Neomee, nor did he call out or even wince for that matter. He accepted his punishment as effortlessly as if he were getting a massage rather than having the flesh torn from his back. Watching him suffer, Neomee realized she’d never be free. It was one thing to cost herself in the attempt, but to cost another, to cost Bray…she realized now it was more than she could bear. It pained her to see him suffer and she knew it had little to do with the fact that she was the cause. No, it had to do with him and the place he’d created for himself in her heart. He’d protected her when he could, he avenged her when others had injured her, and he’d been willing to fight to gain them their freedom.
More tears slipped free and her resolve began to crumble as she realized she loved him and she’d only been running to keep from admitting the fact. She’d never been in love and the concept while scary for everyone else was terrifying for a slave. When you were a slave everything could be taken from you. It was the reason slaves not only had few possessions but didn’t want many. They didn’t want to cherish something only to have it ripped away. She thought of her family then. She had few memories of her mother, father, and younger brother but the ones she did have were of love and great loss.
She’d only known them until she was a young girl then the family had been divided and sold to the highest bidders. She remembered her mother screaming and fighting to get to her children as they were chained and led out of their small village like goats being led to slaughter. Her brother, who’d been younger, was shackled and taken a separate direction. Neomee’s mother ran back and forth unsure who to chase and Neomee’s father had disappeared into their small dwelling only to return with a weapon. He’d had intentions of fighting to keep his children, but the last memory she had of her parents was her mother’s wail of agony as she fell to her knees frantically pulling at the arrow that stood erect from the center of her father’s chest.
She’d lost her life that day and had vowed never again to know love because to know love was to know unbearable loss. Now, as she kneeled and watched Bray bleed for her she realized that she’d been trying to hide the truth from herself. Foolishly she’d fallen in love and had pretended it wasn’t so. She didn’t want to admit her feelings for Bray because to do so meant she could lose him or that he wouldn’t love her in return. His actions now proved that perhaps he did. He was willing to sacrifice for her…so she’d do the same for him.
She felt something inside her break then. Her eyes dropped from his as her head fell forward to stare at the dusty ground. I am a slave. I am Bray’s slave. The bright hope of freedom that had burned so brightly within her had finally burned itself out. She would submit to her Prince of Cats. She would allow the claiming and in turn become his.
There was no sadness at the thought of never being free just a giddy excitement at sharing her life with her Prince of Cats. She looked up to find Bray watching her. He was the most handsome creature she’d ever seen…and he was hers.
Chapter 21
“ENOUGH!”
The bellowed word had both Neomee and Bray looking toward the door...
Madu stood with thick arms crossed over his chest and a wild smirk on his lips.
“How dare you intrude!” The Priest waved his hand dismissively at Madu, “Be gone to your duty or face your own penance.” Ignoring the intrusion the Priest snapped impatient fingers at the whip man. “Continue.”
Madu roared and the sound startled the Priest as he jumped then glared furiously at the disobedient guardian.
“How dare you!”
“How. Dare. You!” Guardian Cats flooded the room then. They surrounded Madu and lined the walls spilling up onto the altar steps. “We are the Guardian Cats of Thebes. We provide the people with protection, and we are the keepers of the word. You have used us Priest. You’ve used us to gain position, authority, and power. Without us you are nothing.”
Bray smirked at his best friend’s use of his own words.
“I-I am the Priest of this temple.” The Priests eyes shifted uneasily as the Cats holding Bray and Neomee released their holds and slowly backed away.
Madu smiled at Bray, “Brother, I believe you’ve earned the right.” He extended his open palm toward the Priest who upon seeing the action dropped to his knees and clasped his hands together.
“You cannot! The Vizier…the Pharaoh won’t allow it.” The Priest’s eyes shifted from Madu to Bray. “My Prince, please!”
Neomee could only watch in mute fascination as Bray stalked closer to the Priest. Sweat glistened on his hard lean frame and he dipped his head as his eyes transitioned from black to yellow. She gasped when his incisors lengthened, his lip curling back as he advanced.
“P-Prince, you must not!” His hands trembled as he held them up.
“I am not your Prince!
When Bray got within reach of the cowering Priest, Neomee turned her head to the side not needing to see how her Bray would dispose of the man who had abused them both. She heard a roar followed by a scream and then silence. She still had her head turned to the side and her eyes tightly closed when a gentle hand grabbed her chin. Looking up she swallowed hard as she stared at Bray. Her eyes darted to the left and she saw the lifeless body of the Priest lying in a heap.
“Madu,” he spoke to his friend but kept his eyes on Neomee. “Tell the men the temple no longer requires their service. They are welcome to stay or they can leave to seek a new life.” He brushed a thumb over Neomee’s bottom lip, “Inform the slaves they are free as well.”
“What of the Slave Master?”
Bray looked at Madu then. “If he objects I suggest you make it the last thing he ever does.”
Madu smiled and nodded once. “Yes brother!” Then he disappeared with a group of Cats trailing excitedly behind him.
“Bray?”
He turned to stare down at Neomee.
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
He watched her for a moment before his eyes hardened. “Later.” He pulled her up and ignored her when she protested.
“But…wait! It’s important.”
“I too have something important to tell you.”
The ice in his tone left Neomee feeling nervous. Perhaps he’s upset that I attempted escape. “Bray I wasn’t trying to get away from you. I…” She winced when she saw him inhale and knew that he’d scent her lie. “I mean I was trying to escape the temple, but…” She didn’t know how to explain that she had only been trying to get away from hi
m because of the strange way he’d made her feel. That she was afraid of losing her heart to him. He wouldn’t believe me.
Bray turned and gripped her hand to pull her along after him. When she saw the whip marks on his back, she flinched.
“You’re back! We need to get you to the healer.”
He simply pulled her along, ignoring her plea.
“Bray?” She tried to pull him to a stop only to be jerked forward as he quickened his pace. She had no idea where he was taking her but knew it wasn’t going to be good.
In the hall, Cats rejoiced while the slaves seemed almost afraid to believe the truth of their newfound freedom.
Happy tears formed in Neomee’s eyes when she saw a Cat holding a collar up in front of a slave. The small woman smiled warmly and nodded before the Cat clasped the collar around her neck then hoisted her up in the air with a triumphant smile before bringing her lips to his. It was apparent that she and Bray weren’t the only two who experienced a strained relationship because of their status in the temple.
Looking forward, she eyed his back and felt guilty. “Bray I’m sorry for what was done to you. I never would have…”
“Madu!” Bray barked.
Madu turned and raced to his friend’s side. “The Slave Master was more than compliant.” A grin split his features, “I’d almost hoped he wouldn’t have been.” He eyed Neomee then Bray’s back. “I’m sorry for not getting to you sooner brother. Adom found me to tell me what was happening. I’d given great thought to what you’d said about our servitude and us being slaves. It took me a while to round up enough men.” He winced as he again eyed Bray’s back. “I should have just gone to the altar room alone.”
Bray slapped his friend’s shoulder. “You did the right thing. I am grateful.”
“Will you two leave the temple? Seek out a new life?”
“No.” Bray’s quick response made Neomee’s belly drop. “I’ll stay with the temple. The Vizier will send troops. We’ll need to make a stand.”
Madu nodded, “Then I’ll stay too. We’ll defend the temple together.” Madu nodded toward Neomee. “What of your mate?”
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